


After the End

by SailorDonut



Series: After the End [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family, Post-Series, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-22
Updated: 2010-01-22
Packaged: 2017-11-07 05:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorDonut/pseuds/SailorDonut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after the ending of PGSM, Nephrite and Ami are planning for their futures. Their happiness is disrupted, however, when Ami's disapproving mother learns about their relationship. Will Ami have to choose between her mother and her boyfriend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the End

**Author's Note:**

> My notes for this story were almost as long as the story itself, so I'll spare you the tedium here and recommend you check out [this post](http://fanfiction.noble-scarlet.net/?p=13) on my fanfiction blog if interested.

_Three Years After the Final Battle_ _  
Spring_

It was a sunny spring day, unusually warm for the first week of April. Ami Mizuno smiled as she walked down the street, enjoying the feel of the light on her skin. It was a great day to be outside, one even the most avid of students would loathe to spend indoors. Ami found herself secretly glad that the new school term was not starting for a few more days. She and her friends would be entering their final year of high school in less than a week. Ami sighed.  _Where has all the time gone?_  she wondered.

But now was not the time for such thoughts. It was too nice of a day to be melancholy. No need to worry about the future; school hadn't even started yet.  _Well, not for_ _ **me**_ _, at least,_ she thought with an impish grin. However, that day, a certain former-Shitennou would be completing his first day of school in the human world, at a local vocational school.  _I hope he's doing well..._  Ami smiled as she remembered all the work that went into this one day: studying, preparation, test-taking; he'd had to make up for a lifetime of learning. A few years ago, Ami never would have believed that Nephrite would ever be interested in something like school.  _"That's your influence, Ami-chan,"_  her friends had said. She bit her lip and smiled.  _It probably is,_  she admitted to herself. Still, she couldn't help but worry that she'd get to the school to pick him up and find the entire campus in a shambles. The idea of Nephrite managing to sit still and keep quiet for several hours of classes was difficult to fathom. On the other hand, he'd managed to surprise her time and time again over the past three years that she'd known him. At this point, she'd almost come to expect the unexpected.

 _He's changed so much since I first met him,_  Ami remembered with a smile.  _Who would have thought that someone who had started out as my mortal enemy would become..._ She felt her cheeks grow hot.  _Anyway, he was under Beryl's mind-control then,_  she reminded herself. After Beryl cast him aside, Nephrite had adjusted, albeit awkwardly, to the human world; and once Metallia was destroyed and the Shitennou were freed from her influence, Nephrite had been content to continue the life he'd made for himself here. He continued working at Crown Karaoke, eventually moving into an apartment with his coworker Motoki Furuhata. Of course, his decision to stay had been largely influenced by his feelings for Ami—a fact that friends of both took note of. Once they'd put their minds to it, it hadn't taken much effort to push Nephrite and Ami together.

By this time, Ami had reached the campus. She glanced at her watch.  _His classes should let out any time now._ She settled on a bench and pulled a book from her purse to pass the time. Although her high school hadn't started term yet, cram school was already back in full swing. With college entrance exams just around the corner, no one could afford to sacrifice any precious study time.

After what seemed just a few moments, a shadow loomed over Ami. She looked up to see a tall figure standing in front of her, looking like a stranger in his red short-sleeved hoodie with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "I thought that was you," Nephrite said as Ami took in the sight of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I came to pick you up," Ami replied brightly. "It's a good thing you noticed me, though. I wasn't paying attention."

"You never pay attention to anything else when there's a textbook nearby," Nephrite teased; but Ami noticed the color rise in his cheeks, and she could tell that he was secretly flattered that she'd come to meet him. Grinning, she shoved her book back into her back and jumped to her feet.

"So? How did your first day of classes go?" she asked hopefully as they started to walk in the direction of the station.

"Fine, I suppose," Nephrite answered. "It was kind of weird; not like studying with you, at least. I can't really say whatever I feel like here." He glanced over at Ami's crestfallen expression and laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to quit! Coming here was  _my_ idea, after all. I'll get used to it. I've adjusted to everything else in your world."

That brought the smile back to her lips. Shyly, Ami slipped her arm through the crook of his arm. "I'm so glad. I'm really very proud of you for doing this, Nephrite!"

Nephrite's ears turned red. "Geez, you don't have to make such a big deal out of it!" he grumbled. The pair rounded a corner and Nephrite froze in his tracks.

"What is it?" Ami asked, following his gaze. Further down the street, she could see a group of people unloading musical equipment from a van. And standing on the sidewalk beside the van, talking to a man with shaggy hair and sunglasses, was a familiar face. "Ah, Minako-chan!" Ami cried, rushing forward. Muttering under his breath, Nephrite followed at a distance.

Minako turned at her name, and then Ami recognized her companion—Zero Shiroi, Aino Minako's keyboardist, formerly known as Zoisite of the Shitennou. "Oh, hello, Ami-chan," Minako said in greeting.

"Hello, Minako-chan, Shiroi-san. It's been awhile! Are you having a concert here?"

"Yeah, there's a show here tonight, and we're setting up now," Minako affirmed. "But what are you doing here? This seems kind of out of the way for you."

"Oh, I came to pick up Naito-kun," Ami said, using Nephrite's Earth pseudonym, Naito Akai. "He started classes at the vocational school around the corner today," she added proudly.

"Did you, now?" Zoisite interjected, arching his eyebrow and looking past Ami to the mortified Nephrite.

"Yes, I did," Nephrite snapped defiantly. "Unlike  _some_  people who are content to live in that big mansion, oblivious to the everything else, I actually would like to make something of myself. To do that, I need to learn more about this world."

Minako snickered at Nephrite's dig; for his part, Zoisite seemed unperturbed. "That's very... admirable of you," he said, his eyes flitting from Nephrite to Ami and back in amusement. "Jadeite is also pursuing an education. Although, being much younger than the rest of us, he is enrolled in high school right now." He fixed Nephrite with a penetrating stare. "You know, you have yet to come see us at Kunzite's house. Maybe we could have a little soiree, a Shitennou reunion if you will, and the two of you could discuss your academic endeavors. I'm sure Mamoru-sama would also love to see you."

Nephrite seethed, and Ami glanced at Minako worriedly. "Yes, that might be nice..." she began, but Nephrite interrupted, "Well, I'm going to be really busy now that I'm in school. And I've seen that guy recently, he comes by my apartment to see my roommate a lot. So you're just going to have to take a rain check."

Zoisite laughed. "Very well. Hopefully we will see you soon. You can't run from yourself forever, you know."

"Okay, that's enough," Minako interjected, stepping between the two men and gently pushing Zoisite away. "You know how the past can be a touchy subject for some of us,  _Shiroi-kun_ ," she warned under her breath. She glanced back at Ami with an apologetic smile. "Well, we need to get back to work, and I'm sure you two need to get going, too," she said cheerfully. "We should get together soon and catch up! I'll call you."

"All right... bye, Minako-chan," Ami said hesitantly. Nephrite, on the other hand, stalked off without a second glanced, leaving Ami to rush after him.

"I can't stand that guy," Nephrite fumed as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Yes, I noticed that," Ami laughed. "What happened? Did he do something to you?"

"It's not that," Nephrite muttered through clenched teeth. He marched on in silence.

"Well, what is it then?" Ami prodded.

Nephrite remained quiet for a few more moments, and Ami suspected he'd never give her the whole story. But then, to her surprise, Nephrite finally sighed and admitted, "He's got this idea in his mind... that the only reason I'm with you is because of the past life. I can't stand it."

Ami stopped in her tracks. "Wait, what?" She caught his arm and turned him to face her; he avoided her eyes. "Does he really?" Nephrite gnawed the inside of his lip and nodded. Ami laughed. "He didn't say anything about it just now..."

"He was thinking it, though!" Nephrite burst. "I could see it in his eyes. He thinks it's just so funny. But we all know that  _he's_  only with  _that girl_ because of the past life! It's revolting."

He stormed off again, and Ami hurried to keep up with him. "But you're saying... you're not with me because of that?" she clarified.

Nephrite stopped dead in his tracks. "Of course not!" he exclaimed, looking straight at her. "That has nothing to do with it! I don't care about that other guy or what he did with that princess. He's not me!" He exhaled deeply, as if glad to be letting it all out at last. "I'm with you because _I_  want to be with you! It has nothing to do with that 'past life.'"

Nephrite crammed his fists into his pockets awkwardly, avoiding her gaze once more. For her part, Ami felt a stinging behind her eyes and a swelling of joy inside.  _He's with me because he wants to be with_ _ **me**_ _._ She sniffled.

"What?" Nephrite said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "Don't you agree with me?"

"It's not that," Ami said, a smile radiating from her. "I was just thinking that I feel the same way."

Nephrite looked down, his face turning a vibrant shade of red. "Well, glad we're on the same page, then."

Ami giggled, taking his arm and feeling a blush of her own spreading across her cheeks. "Do you have plans tonight?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Nothing other than homework and listening to Kame-baka's latest drama," Nephrite stated, referring to his roommate, Motoki.

"Well, why don't we do our homework together at my place?" she suggested, stifling a giggle. "Mama isn't going to be home tonight, so it will be nice and quiet."

"Sounds like a plan," Nephrite agreed complacently.

"What's mitochondrial DNA?" Nephrite asked, peering over at the textbook as Ami studied.

"Uhh, it's kind of complicated," Ami said distractedly. "Basically, mitochondria are structures within cells that convert energy, and mtDNA is a special kind of DNA that they use. Scientists think that mitochondria may have started out as other organisms that lived within cells symbiotically, and that's why they have their own DNA."

"Oh. Yes. I see," Nephrite said, although it was clear as mud to him. He folded his arms on the table and leaned his head against them, continuing to read along with her. "I can't believe you understand all this," he spoke up again after a moment.

Ami laughed. "You could understand it, too, if you started at the beginning. I've been doing this a lot longer than you." She yawned and stretched. "Besides, I have to understand this if I want to be a doctor."

"Yeah..." Nephrite frowned. "It seems like a lot of trouble if it's not something you're interested in."

Ami reddened. "Of course I'm interested in it," she protested. "Being a doctor is a very respectable profession. Besides, Mama would be so disappointed if I didn't go through with medical school after all these years of preparing for it."

Nephrite fixed a penetrating stare at her for a long moment, until she broke her eyes away and looked back down at her book. Then he sighed, and stood up. "It's almost 7:00," he said. "You're probably hungry. Do you want me to make dinner?"

Ami shot an alarmed glance at him. "You still have homework, though... maybe we should order take-out."

Nephrite shrugged. "I'm mostly done with mine," he said. "Unlike some future med students here, my homework can be finished in a reasonable amount of time."

"Okay," Ami said hesitantly, remembering Nephrite's past culinary "masterpieces." "There's some instant yakisoba in the cupboard, we could have that."

Nephrite scoffed. "Are you sure you don't want something else?"

"No, yakisoba sounds great," Ami replied hastily.

Nephrite smiled. "All right, yakisoba it is," he agreed, disappearing into the kitchen and leaving Ami to her studies. She read on in silence for about ten minutes, when a suspicious burning smell drifted into the living room. She leapt to her feet and raced into the kitchen, where Nephrite leaned against the counter reading one of his textbooks.

"What are you doing?" Ami gasped, looking into the pot on the stove. A large clump of noodles was stuck to the bottom, burning. She turned off the burner and dumped the pot into the sink.

"What?" Nephrite asked, looking over her shoulder at the blackened mess. "Wasn't that how I was supposed to do it?"

Heart still pounding, Ami turned to face him. She knew she should be more irritated, but seeing Nephrite's perplexed face, she couldn't help but laugh. "Only you could ruin instant yakisoba!" she sighed in exasperation.

"It looks fine to me," Nephrite said sheepishly, taking a fork and scraping a burned noodle from the bottom of the pot. "Here, try it. I bet it tastes fine."

"No!" Ami exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

"You won't know if you don't taste it!" Nephrite protested, bringing the fork to her mouth. She darted away, lips tightly clamped. Nephrite laughed. "Oh, so it's going to be like that, is it? Taste it!" he ordered, bringing the fork close once again.

"Back!" Ami cried, grabbing the spray attachment from the kitchen sink and whipping it out in front of her like a weapon.

"You wouldn't," Nephrite said smugly, brandishing the fork.

"Wouldn't I?" Ami taunted. "You don't want to mess with the Soldier of Water now, do you?"

Nephrite's smug face faltered, and he dropped the fork. "Give me that."

"No!"

Nephrite lunged for the spray attachment, and the two struggled. In the skirmish, someone's finger hit the trigger, and water sprayed out, hitting them both in the face.

Ami shrieked. "Let go!"

"No, you!" Nephrite laughed, yanking the attachment and flinging water all over the kitchen. The two struggled for a few moments more, until both were thoroughly soaked and out of breath with laughter.

"Great job!" Ami giggled, looking around the kitchen and shaking her head. "This is going to be loads of fun to clean up."

"Whatever," Nephrite scoffed, but he pulled open a drawer and pulled out two towels, tossing one to Ami. But just as they set to work, they heard the sound of a key turning in the lock on the front door. Nephrite and Ami froze, looking at each other in panic.

"S-stay here," Ami whispered, quickly wiping her hands on the towel and rushing out of the kitchen to see her mother walking in the front door. "Mama," she said breathlessly. "What are you doing here? I thought you were working tonight..."

"I traded shifts with one of the other doctors," her mother replied, pulling her shoes off. "I thought we could have dinner together..." She trailed off, taking in Ami's disheveled appearance. "What happened to you? Why are you all wet?" She sniffed the air. "And why does it smell like something's burning?"

"I had a m-mishap in the kitchen," Ami stammered, her heart in her throat.

"Oh," Dr. Mizuno responded. "Well, let's take a look."

"No!" Ami all but shrieked.

"It can't be that bad," her mother chided, heading for the door of the kitchen just as Nephrite stepped out. Dr. Mizuno froze in her tracks. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" she demanded.

Nephrite looked nervously to Ami and back to her mother. He gave a quick bow and introduced himself, "I'm Naito Akai. I'm a friend of your daughter's..."

Dr. Mizuno's eyes widened in disbelief, and she whirled on Ami. "Ami, what is the meaning of this? A strange man in my house, one that I've never met before..." She paused, as if contemplating something that she daren't think of.

"Mama, I can explain," Ami said, her voice shaking. "Naito-kun and I were just studying together, and then we were going to have dinner, but..." She trailed off, and Nephrite jumped in.

"Ma'am, I'm terribly sorry that we had to meet under such circumstances," he said, trying to smooth the situation over. "I told her that I wanted to meet you a long time ago, but you're always working—" He clamped his mouth shut as Ami shot him a warning glare.

"I see you're on a first name basis with my daughter," Dr. Mizuno said coldly, and turned to Ami. "Are you seeing him?" she asked sharply.

Ami's face turned vibrant red, and she and Nephrite looked down at the floor, unable to find anything to say.

Dr. Mizuno's face was lined with fury. "You mean to tell me that you have a boyfriend, and you've been  _hiding_  it from me?"

"We weren't trying to  _hide_  it from you, but like I said, you're not home very often," Nephrite blurted out, but the sharp glares from both mother and daughter silenced him.

"You..." Dr. Mizuno seethed. "How old are you?"

"I, uh...twenty-one," Nephrite stammered, selecting a number at random. That was a bit of a problem— since none of the Shitennou had memories of whatever lives they may have led before Beryl ensnared them, none of them were really quite sure how old they really were. But Nephrite could see by the expression of horror on Ami's mother's face that the number he picked was too high.

"Twenty-one?" Dr. Mizuno snapped. "Are you even still in college?"

"Vocational school, actually," Nephrite said, looking down in shame.

Ami looked on the verge of tears. Her mother shot her another glare, and then turned back to Nephrite. "I want you to leave, right now."

Nephrite gulped. "Yes, ma'am." He looked at Ami, but she avoided his eyes. He frowned, and quickly moved over the coffee table, shoving his books into his backpack. When he reached the door, he turned. "I'm sorry about this, ma'am. It was nice meeting you, though." He looked at Ami again. "Will I see you soon?" he asked her.

"You'll be lucky if you ever see her again," Dr. Mizuno said sternly.

Ami's head shot up at that. "Mama!" she protested.

Nephrite stood riveted, his mouth agape. "What are you still doing here?" Ami's mother demanded, and with one last stricken gaze at Ami, Nephrite departed.

The moment the door had closed, Dr. Mizuno whirled on her daughter. "How long has this been going on?" she demanded.

Ami hesitated, and finally answered softly, "Two and a half years."

Her mother stared at her, aghast. "Two and a half...  _years_? You've been hiding this from me for that long?" Ami said nothing in reply, but merely looked down at the floor, shamefaced. "I can't believe this!" Dr. Mizuno finally continued in exasperation. "I have given you so much freedom, Ami. I let you stay at Juuban Middle School against my better judgment, because I trusted you. I understand that you need to have friends, but..." she trailed off in exasperation. "We agreed that there would be no boyfriends!"

Ami looked up defiantly. "No,  _you_  ordered! I never agreed to that!"

"How can you say that?" Dr. Mizuno asked. "You have so much ahead of you! You're starting college next year, and then medical school! With your talent, you could have a brilliant career in medicine! You could easily make it into the top program in the world, study abroad in Europe or America! Do you want to risk losing everything you've worked for, just for a  _boy_?"

"Naito-kun supports my career plans..." Ami began.

"Oh, does he?" Dr. Mizuno said, raising her eyebrows. "He has no problem with his girlfriend becoming an important doctor, while he is still only at vocational school, at his age?"

"Mama, you don't even know anything about him," Ami protested, offended at her mother's implications about Nephrite's worth.

"And what are you going to do when he leaves you? What will you have left if you forsake your hard work and give up all your aspirations for a man?"

Ami's temper flared. "I told you, I'm not giving up! I am going to go through with medical school!" She inhaled deeply. "And he's not going to leave me. Just because  _Father_  left, that doesn't that Neph— that Naito-kun is going to!"

Dr. Mizuno stared at Ami coldly for a long moment. "That's enough," she said sternly, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. Ami bit her lip. She knew she'd gone much too far with that comment, and she couldn't believe that she'd said such a thing to her mother. Dr. Mizuno inhaled deeply, and a glimmer of vulnerability flitted to the surface. But then it was gone, and she looked back at Ami, eyes blazing. "The matter is closed. You are not to see that man again."

"Mama, please!" Ami cried.

"I am your mother! You will obey me."

Ami sighed, tears burning her eyes. "Yes, ma'am," she replied, her voice shaking. She grabbed her book off the coffee table and rushed into her room.

The next week passed by slowly for Ami. There was nothing to occupy her time other than cram school and homework. Her mother seemed to be home more than usual, so contacting Nephrite was out; but honestly, Ami didn't know what she would say if she  _could_  get in touch with him. That what her mother said didn't matter? The truth was that it  _did_  matter. She couldn't bear to deceive anyone, let alone her mother. It had been one thing before Dr. Mizuno knew about the situation, but now she'd expressly forbidden Ami to see Nephrite. The only way to circumvent it would be to defy her mother's express orders, and Ami didn't think she had it in her. She'd defied her mother before, in middle school, and it had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. Ami felt truly torn; she loved Nephrite, but she loved her mother, too. How was she supposed to choose between the two? Especially when she still lived with her mother and would have to see her face every day.

She didn't know how to make her mother see the light, either. What was she supposed to tell her?  _Don't worry, Mama— I know that Nephrite is perfect for me because our previous incarnations were in love 10,000 years ago. Oh, didn't you know? I'm the reincarnation of the Princess of Mercury. Oh, and I spent my last year of middle school as a crime-fighting superhero, too._ Yeah, that would definitely go over well.

For the time being, there was nothing Ami could do. She and Nephrite would just have to be apart for now, as hard as that was. And so, Ami spent the last days of her spring break staring into space, trying not to feel sorry for herself. It felt oddly reminiscent of the days before she and Nephrite had started dating, when Usagi-chan and Mako-chan were occupied with their new boyfriends, and Rei-chan was spending all her free time at the temple or hanging out with her best friend Minako; or, worse, the days before Kunzite possessed her and she became Dark Sailor Mercury. Being alone was a hard thing indeed.

Nephrite wasn't handling the separation much better. He didn't want to cause trouble for Ami with her mother, but spending all his time with "Kame-baka" was like slow torture. The last straw came four days after the incident with Dr. Mizuno. Nephrite sat sullenly at the roommates' shared desk, staring at the same textbook page he'd been unable to focus on reading for the past hour. On the other side of the room, Motoki frantically prepared for a dinner date with his girlfriend, Makoto Kino.

"Well, Kamekichi, what do you think? The white shirt or the black?" Motoki asked his turtle for the third time in the past five minutes. "I know we said white, but don't you think black makes me look cooler? I think Mako-chan would like the black better. But then again, she's said that she really likes me in white." He moaned in exasperation. "Ahhh, Kamekichi, I just don't know what to do! Black or white, Kamekichi, black or white?"

"OH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Nephrite roared, slamming his fist down on the desk and whirling on Motoki. "Just pick one! And stop asking the turtle! He's not going to answer you, moron!"

Motoki (and Kamekichi) stared, slack-jawed, at Nephrite's outburst. Then Motoki chuckled. "Ah, Kamekichi, sounds like someone's jealous of my rabu-rabu."

Nephrite seethed, eyes bulging, then turned away.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" Motoki asked, approaching him concernedly. "You've been acting really weird recently. I haven't seen you like this since you first started working at Crown." He paused, glancing over Nephrite's tense shoulders at the blank sheet of paper sitting untouched on the desk. "Did something happen with Ami-chan? Come to think of it, I haven't seen her recently. And you've been here all the time... Oh my gosh! Did you guys break up?" Nephrite remained silent. Motoki's jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh! You did?" He dragged a chair over, sitting next to Nephrite and putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. Nephrite flinched, but didn't jerk away. Motoki exhaled loudly, his face stricken. "Maaaan... Nefukichi, what happened?"

Nephrite sighed, half-heartedly shrugging out from under Motoki's hand. "I told you, don't call me that," was all he said in reply.

Motoki stood shakily. "I'm sorry," he said simply. The doorbell sounded, and Motoki went to answer the door. "Ah, Mako-chan, come in."

Makoto strode in the door, smiling brightly. "Well, are you ready?" she asked, looking Motoki over. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice filling with concern at Motoki's downcast expression.

"Oh... nothing's wrong with me... I'm just kind of in shock," Motoki replied.

"Shock?"

Glancing over his shoulder to ensure that Nephrite was still safely out of earshot, Motoki pulled Makoto gently aside. "Nefurin says that he and Ami-chan broke up," he said softly.

"Ehh?" Makoto exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Why?"

"I don't know," Motoki whispered, motioning for her to lower her voice. "He seems really upset about it. He won't tell me what happened."

"Yeah," Makoto said, frowning pensively. "I want to know what happened, but I don't think he's going to tell either of us anything. You know how he is." She sighed. "School starts again on Monday. I'll ask Ami-chan about it when I see her."

Ami inhaled deeply, enjoying the feel of the cool spring morning and the vibrant sounds of life outside Juuban Municipal High School. She always enjoyed going back to school after a break, but she couldn't remember a time when she'd needed a distraction more. She would be glad to be amongst her boisterous classmates once more. She could only hope that settling back into the routine of school would help take her mind off everything.

As Ami removed her shoes and placed them in her locker, she heard an energetic cry of, "Ami-chan! Good morning!" in the distance. Smiling in relief, Ami turned to see her best friend Usagi Tsukino hopping towards her like a rabbit.

"Good morning, Usagi-chan!" she replied, rushing forward to embrace her friend. "How was your break?"

"Short!" Usagi complained, pouting. "And now we're back in school, and we're seniors. Seniors, Ami-chan! Can you believe it?"

Ami shook her head. "You're on time, for once," she pointed out conversationally.

"I am, I am!" Usagi enthused. "I figured that since this is my last year of high school, I should start it off right!"

"She'll be late tomorrow," the pair's classmate, Naru Osaka, interjected as she approached the pair, smiling. "How was your break, Ami-chan?"

Ami felt her spirits drop momentarily, but tried to keep her feelings from showing. "Oh, uh... it was fine."

"Mmm-hmm, I'm sure it was," Naru teased. "It must be nice to have a boyfriend to spend springtime with!"

"Yeah," Ami replied unenthusiastically, her face falling visibly this time.

"Ami-chan, are you okay?" Usagi asked, noticing her friend's expression. "Did something happen over break?"

"Oh, no, of course not," Ami lied unconvincingly. Part of her longed to talk to Usagi about it, but a larger part of her was afraid to. She knew what Usagi was likely to advise— "Forget your mom, you and Nephrite belong together!" —and making Usagi see that it wasn't that simple would be next to impossible.

"If you say so," Usagi replied, but neither she nor Naru looked convinced. "How was your break, Naru-chan?"

"Oh, I had a lot of fun! I helped Mama set up a show for her new line of jewelry. She actually let me plan part of the show!"

"Really? No way! That's so cool!"

The three walked along, Naru and Usagi chattering animatedly in the background while Ami's thoughts wandered. Her optimism had evaporated, leaving a dull ache in its place. She had hoped to get her mind off Nephrite, but it seemed like every time she was about to forget about this whole miserable situation, something would happen that reminded her of it.  _I should have known it wouldn't be that easy._

They reached their classroom, which was still mostly empty at that point, and took their seats, Naru and Usagi still deep in conversation. Ami sat in silence and watched her classmates trickle in one at a time. Every now and then, Usagi cast a concerned glance over at Ami, which went unnoticed every time.

At around 8:15, Makoto strode into the classroom. "Ah, Mako-chan!" Usagi burst out, jumping to her feet and tackling her friends with a hug.

"Hi, Usagi," Makoto said, smiling. "Is Ami-chan here yet?"

"Yeah, she's sitting with Naru-chan. Do you need to talk to her?" Usagi asked.

"Yeah." Makoto lowered her voice and continued, "Motoki told me that she and Nephrite broke up."

"WHAT?" Usagi shrieked, and Makoto quickly put a finger to her lips. "Oh, sorry," Usagi said sheepishly. "What happened?"

"We don't know," Makoto admitted. "I don't want to butt into her personal business, but... the whole thing was really weird. I mean, they were the last people I would have thought would..." She trailed off, sighing. "Motoki said that Nephrite's really upset about it, but he won't tell him what happened."

"Poor Nephy-kun," Usagi said sadly. "Ami-chan has been acting strangely today, too. She seems sad. That must be why..."

"I want to ask her about it, but I don't know how to bring it up tactfully," Makoto said.

"Leave it to me!" Usagi said, striding over to Ami's desk, Makoto in tow. At this point, Naru was talking to another classmate in a different part of the room, and Ami was sitting in quiet solitude. "Hey, Ami-chan, Mako-chan was at Motoki-kun's apartment the other day, and she said that Nephrite—"

Ami's face lit up. "You saw Nephrite, Mako-chan?" she asked, her eyes betraying everything. "How is he?"

Usagi and Makoto took her in for a moment, taken aback. "I would have thought you would know that, Ami-chan," Makoto began, choosing her words carefully.

"Ami-chan, what happened with Nephrite?" Usagi barreled ahead. "We know something happened, and we want to help you." Ami sighed, and looked away, not answering for several moments. Usagi sat down at the empty desk in front of her and took her hands. "Ami-chan...please. We're your friends. Let us help you."

Ami took a deep breath. Still not meeting their eyes, she said softly, "Mama found out about us."

"She didn't know?" Usagi exclaimed.

Makoto elbowed her, and then turned to Ami. "What did she say?"

"...she told me I can't see him anymore."

"Just like that?" Usagi asked, her eyes flashing. "Didn't you explain to her? She can't just tell you that you can't be with him if you want to be!"

"What am I  _supposed_  to say to her, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked, tears suddenly shining in her eyes.

"I don't know!" Usagi cried back. "But... you can't just let her keep you guys apart! You  _belong_  together!"

Tears were streaming down Ami's face freely by now. Usagi opened her mouth to continue, but Makoto silenced her. "I know it's hard, Ami-chan, but you do need to talk to your mother. She needs to understand that Nephrite is important to you. This has happened before, and when you explained it to her, she understood."

"That was different," Ami said, wiping her eyes. "She decided to let me have my friends because she knew that you couldn't take me away from her. But this is a different situation. Mama... Mama... she  _hates_  men. She doesn't trust them. She doesn't think that any of them are any good. All because my Papa..." She trailed off, not wanting to go into that with her friends. "I think she's afraid that Nephrite's going to take me away from her, and then... he'll leave."

"But, Ami-chan, Nephrite can't take you away from her any more than we can. He's important to you, but she's your  _mother_. No one can replace that," Makoto reasoned.

"She won't see it that way," Ami replied sullenly.

"Well, that's why you need to talk to her, Ami-chan!" Usagi said.

"She won't listen!" Ami cried. "I'm telling you, there's nothing I can do! I just have to accept the fact that I can't see him any more!"

"You won't know unless you try!" Usagi retorted. "Ami-chan, don't let your fear consume you! We all know how much you care about Nephrite. You can't just let him go because you're afraid to confront her about this! She's your mama; if you explain to her how you feel, she'll understand!"

"Exactly, Usagi-chan! She's  _my_  mama! Not yours!" Ami all but shrieked. All around her, classmates fell silent and stared, but she didn't notice. "You don't know her. Just because your mama would understand, that doesn't mean that mine would! And what am I supposed to do if this drives a rift between us?"

"That's her problem, not yours," Usagi said softly. "You can't live your life for your mother."

"So you want me to just forsake the fact that she's my family, that she's cared for me all my life? I have to respect her wishes!" Ami sobbed.

"She's not respecting  _your_  wishes, Ami-chan. How is that caring?"

The words stung Ami like a slap. She glared fiercely at Usagi, tears still streaming down her face. "Okay, that's enough, that's enough!" Makoto interjected, moving between the two. "Usagi, let it go," she scolded, then turned to Ami. "Ami-chan, Usagi's just worried about you. You know that. We all want to see you happy. But this is between you and your mother. We won't interfere, okay?"

A moment passed, and then Ami nodded. "Okay."

Usagi looked disappointed, but she forced a smile and rose from the desk, embracing Ami. "I'm sorry, Ami-chan. I guess I got carried away. Let's not start the new year mad at each other!" she cried, squeezing Ami tightly.

Ami couldn't help but smile as she hugged her back. At that moment, the teacher entered the classroom and the students all hurried to their seats. Life seemed ready to go on as if nothing had changed; but in Ami's mind, Usagi's words echoed over and over. And she found herself asking a question that she hadn't wanted to contemplate before now.  _Is it really no use? Or are you just too afraid to find out?_

"Usagi, you have an uncanny ability to make everything worse," Rei sighed that afternoon as the two of them sat at an outdoor table at their favorite café.

"I wasn't trying to!" Usagi protested, pouting. "I just keep thinking about everything that happened when we were in middle school. Remember, Rei-chan, when the two of you ran away?"

"Yeah," Rei replied with a nostalgic smile.

"I thought that everything would be better between the two of them from then on. But everything just went back to the way it was before!" Usagi said in exasperation. "Her mama is taking advantage of the fact that Ami always does what she wants her to. She expects her to just give up without a fight. That's terrible! My mama would never do that to me! And if she tried, I wouldn't just let her!"

"But Usagi, you and your mother have a different relationship. You know that Ami-chan isn't like you," Rei reasoned.

"I knoooow," Usagi groaned. "And I don't want to change Ami, believe me. But I wish that she would stand up for herself more!" She took a long sip of her iced tea, then looked at Rei thoughtfully. "Rei-chan, are things better with your papa now?"

Rei nodded. "Yeah. I mean, we're never going to be really close... but we communicate well now. We have since that time in middle school."

Usagi sighed and nodded. "Then maybe there's still hope for Ami-chan."

"She just needs the right catalyst," Rei stated. "Something that matters to her. Something that makes her realize, 'This is the last straw. I'm not going to take this anymore.'" Rei looked pensively out over the waterfront beside the café. "I wonder if this might just be the thing."

Ami's thoughts were still weighing on her heavily on her mind when she returned home from cram school that evening. She ate dinner with her mother; it was quiet and awkward. Dr. Mizuno had changed all her shifts at the hospital to times when Ami was in class, undoubtedly so she could keep a better eye on her daughter. Ami was frustrated that her mother trusted her so little, yet she guiltily acknowledged that she had brought it on herself.

The meal passed with little more than small talk exchanged between the mother and daughter. When they were finished eating, Ami cleared the table and headed into her room, citing her need to study. Once at her desk, though, Anu found that homework was the furthest thing from her mind. Her argument with Usagi kept echoing through her head. And Mako-chan...she'd seen Nephrite. How was he now? It had been a week since Ami had seen him last. Was he doing okay at vocational school? Did he miss her as much as she missed him? Or was he mad at her for not standing up to her mother?

Sighing, Ami opened her desk drawer and pulled out the frame she kept there, which held a picture of herself and Nephrite together, taken the previous Christmas. Ami had found herself gazing at it time and time again over the past week; but tonight, the frame was empty. "Huh?" Ami breathed, turning the frame over. Had it fallen out? She couldn't see how that could have happened, but what else could it be? She rummaged through her drawer, but found nothing. Frantically, she dropped to her hands and knees and felt around for the photo under her desk.

"You won't find it there," Ami heard her mother's voice say from the doorway. Ami's head shot up, and she looked at her mother in horror. "I saw that you kept looking at it," Dr. Mizuno continued. "It was distracting you from your studies."

Ami rose to her feet, stricken. "What did you do with it?" she demanded, her voice ragged.

Her mother adjusted her glasses. "It's gone. Ami, if you keep focusing on it, you're never going to move on." She stepped forward. "Obsessing over the past isn't healthy. It's best not to keep reminders around. If you make a clean sweep, you'll forget him that much more easily."

"...forget him?" Ami repeated. She was trembling with emotion, and she felt overwhelmed by nausea. "You took it... and threw it away?"

"Ami, it's for the best," Dr. Mizuno reasoned.

"For the best?" Ami cried, her voice growing louder and more raw. "It's not enough that I'll never see him again, now I can't even have my memories of him?"

"I only did this because I care about you."

Ami choked back sobs. "Don't make me laugh. If you cared about me, you'd treat me like my own person, not like a porcelain doll. Don't my feelings mean anything to you?"

"Ami, that's a horrible thing to say to your own mother!"

"I don't want to see you right now," Ami said, a tear escaping from the corner of her eye and running down her face. "I don't even now if I ever want to see you again!" With that, she brushed past her mother and out the front door, barely pausing to grab her shoes as she went. The last thing Ami heard before the door slammed was her mother demanding to know where she was going. Ami didn't answer, and she didn't look back.

Motoki answered the door just as she lifted her hand to knock a second time. "Ami-chan!" he said in surprise. "What are you doing here? Are you okay?" he added, noting her tear streaked face.

"Motoki-kun, is Naito-kun here?" Ami asked, but before Motoki could answer, she saw him enter the room over Motoki's shoulder. He wore a long-sleeved white tee and jeans, and was holding a half-eaten sandwich. He caught her gaze, a confused expression on his face. At that moment, he was the most beautiful sight Ami had ever beheld.

"What are you doing here?" Nephrite started to say, but before he could get it out, Ami pushed wordlessly past a startled Motoki and rushed towards him. She barreled into Nephrite, flinging her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. "Nephrite," she sobbed, clutching him tightly.

Motoki and Nephrite stared at each other confusedly for a moment. "Uh...sorry, I'll leave you guys alone," Motoki stammered, hurrying out of the room. When he was gone, Nephrite awkwardly hugged Ami back with his left arm, stretching to set the sandwich down on a nearby shelf with his right. Both hands now free, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pressing his lips against the top of her head. Her reply was broken and muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "What?" he laughed softly.

Ami turned her head, keeping her cheek pressed against him. "I said, let's run away. Please."

"Oh," Nephrite said, realization dawning on him. "Where do you want to run to?"

"Anywhere! I don't care. As long as it's far, far away from here."

Nephrite smiled, rubbing his hand up and down her back. "How about Timbuktu?" he teased.

"Too close!" Ami replied, feeling better already. The tears had stopped flowing now.

"Well then, what about the moon? I know it's kind of a dump now, but I hear it used to be a really great place to live."

Ami laughed, looking up at him. "That sounds perfect! Let's go!"

Nephrite smiled, brushing the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. "Sure thing. We'll rent a rocket ship and leave right away."

After Ami had cried herself out, the two settled on the couch. Nephrite turned on the TV, and a mindless dorama that neither of them paid attention to played in the backgrounds. They just held each other, Ami resting her head on Nephrite's chest as he stroked her hair. Ami didn't tell him why she'd come, and Nephrite didn't ask. He didn't need to; he could guess what had happened.

At some point, Ami dozed off, but Nephrite lay awake, thinking. Around 11:30, Motoki cautiously entered the room and sat on a nearby armchair. "Is she all right?" he asked quietly, looking at Ami's sleeping form. Nephrite nodded. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Nephrite inhaled deeply. "It's her mother," he murmured softly.

"Yeah. Mako-chan told me that much," Motoki admitted.

"You already know everything, then," Nephrite stated.

"Not everything. I don't know what you're going to do," Motoki pressed.

"Neither do I," Nephrite said, looking at the ceiling.

"You're not going to let her go, though, right?"

"No."

The two sat in silence for several moments. Then Nephrite began again, hesitantly. "I just don't know how I should handle this. I want to be with her, but I don't want to come between her and her mother."

Motoki looked at Nephrite, surprised by his candor. Nephrite caught his gaze, his eyes pleading. For the first time that Motoki could remember, Nephrite was asking him for help. It filled Motoki with a great satisfaction—after knowing and living with him for three years, Nephrite was finally acknowledging him as a friend.

At last, Motoki spoke. "I think you need to tell Ami's mother that. And then I think you need to let her see that you mean it."

Nephrite pondered this. "Yeah. I think you're right."

The two sat silently for several minutes, the muted noises of the TV the only sounds that filled the room. Finally, Motoki stood. "Good luck," he said simply, and headed into the bedroom.

Nephrite took a deep breath, steeling his determination. Then, glancing at the clock, he gently shook Ami awake. "What is it?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"It's time to go home," Nephrite whispered, smiling gently.

"What?" Ami's expression was a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and defiance. "I don't want to go back."

"I know," he replied, helping her to her feet. "But you need to go home."

Silently, the two walked from Nephrite's apartment to Ami's, hand in hand. Outside the door to her home, they paused, and Nephrite pulled Ami into his arms, cupping her face in his hands.

"When will I see you again?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"Soon," Nephrite reassured her. "I'm not going to give you up, okay? We're going to make her understand that."

"Do you promise?"

"I swear." He leaned down, kissing her softly on the lips. Her hand caught in his short hair, holding him there for a long, lingering moment. At last, they pulled apart, and Ami went inside, Nephrite watching her go.

It was dark inside the apartment. Ami saw that her mother was asleep on the sofa, waiting for her; but she strode defiantly past without waking her, into her bedroom, and shut the door behind her.

The following morning when Ami woke up, her mother had already left for the hospital. There was no note waiting on the whiteboard, but her bedroom door had been open when she'd woken up that morning, so Ami knew that her mother was aware that she'd come home.

The day passed without incident. Usagi and Makoto had apparently decided to let the matter resolve itself, and made no mention of it to Ami. It was as if nothing had happened. School and then cram school went on just as they always had. It was an odd feeling, and Ami found herself spending most of class wondering what would happen next, and how she should proceed.

Preoccupied as she was, Ami didn't realize at first when her cram class had let out. As her other classmates filed out the door, Ami hurried to gather her things. She didn't even notice her teacher approaching her until the older woman was right in front of her. "Mizuno-san, may I speak with you?" she asked pleasantly.

"Sensei!" Ami exclaimed, coloring. "Oh, um, certainly."

"Your scores on your last two practice quizzes were lower than usual." The teacher noticed Ami's panicked expression and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, they were still excellent scores. But after teaching you these past few years, I've come to know what to expect out of you. And I know that the only thing that would affect your test-taking ability would be if something was going on in your personal life."

Her teacher paused, looking Ami's chagrined face over. "You know, Ami-san," she said, using Ami's given name, "I had hoped that after all this time, you could think of me as more than a teacher...but as a friend. Someone you can come to for advice."

Ami considered this. She had, in fact, known her teacher for quite some time. Sensei had always made a point of talking to her about her dreams and aspirations, and even about her personal life. Sensei knew things about Ami that even her own mother didn't know.

"Is it Akai-san?" the teacher asked sympathetically, interrupting Ami's internal deliberations. When Ami's jaw dropped, her teacher added apologetically, "I noticed that you've been walking home alone this past week."

Ami contemplated it for a moment more, and then reluctantly nodded. "You see... my mother and I... we don't exactly see eye to eye about Akai-san."

Realization dawned across the teacher's face. "Oh...I see. I'm sorry to hear that. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Ami shook her head. "It will work itself out." She bowed politely. "Thank you for your concern about me, and for letting me know about the drop in my performance. I'll try to work harder."

"That's not really what I meant..." her teacher began, but Ami was already hurrying from the word, her cheeks on fire.  _It's gotten so bad that even my_ _ **teachers**_ _are noticing,_  she thought, mortified. As she hurried down the stairs and into the lobby of Alto Seminar, she stopped dead in her tracks. Standing in the entrance to the school was none other than Dr. Mizuno.

"Mama!" Ami cried in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Dr. Mizuno offered a tight smile. "I came to pick you up, dear. I thought we could walk home together."

"Oh... of course..." Ami said, disappointment evident in her voice. "Please, I just need a moment," she added, excusing herself and rushing towards the women's room.  _Now she won't even let me go to school without supervision,_  she thought with despair.  _Why is she so insistent on treating me like a child?_  She splashed cold water on her face from the sink, hoping to calm herself.

As Dr. Mizuno waited in the lobby, Ami's teacher came down the stairs, carrying her heavy satchel of books and binders. "Ah, Mizuno-sensei!" she called upon seeing Ami's mother. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"I just came to pick Ami up," Dr. Mizuno said cordially.

"My, what a caring parent you are," the teacher said, offering a polite bow as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "You must be terribly interested in Ami-san's well-being. You'll be happy to know that her scores are excellent, the top of the class. She is sure to get into any college and medical school that she wants."

"That's good to hear," Dr. Mizuno replied.

"But you know," Ami's teacher went on cautiously, "There's more to life than studying. Ami-san probably has many things in her life that are just as important to her, if not moreso. I know that at her age, I had many friends that I loved more dearly than my own life." She smiled. "Friends are so important. They can provide support, keep you company when you're lonely, even help you see difficult situations more clearly."

"Yes," Dr. Mizuno agree, avoiding the teacher's eyes. "I know Ami has a close group of girl friends that she's had since middle school."

"Oh, but what about boys? After all, she's in her last year of high school. Surely she must have someone special..."

"Ami doesn't need that," Dr. Mizuno said curtly.

Ami's teacher took a deep breath and set her shoulders. "Everyone needs someone like that, Mizuno-sensei. We all need someone we can confide in, someone to support us, someone that we don't have to share with anyone else. Ami-san needs that, too. Maybe more than someone else might. After all, her mother is a busy doctor, with not as much time to spare for her daughter as other parents. Ami-san needs someone to look after her when you can't."

Dr. Mizuno remained silent for a long minute, looking off into the distance. "Yes... I have worried about that for some time. But..." she trailed off, then continued, barely audibly, "What happens if they stop caring? What happens if Ami gets hurt?"

"It's a risk we all take," the teacher acknowledged grimly. "But, if I may, Mizuno-sensei... Akai-san is good for Ami-san. Better than someone else might be. I don't believe that he would ever hurt Ami-san."

Dr. Mizuno turned to face the teacher, stunned. "Do you know about that young man?"

"I know that he has come to pick her up from class every day for the past two years. Even if it's raining, or freezing outside, he's always there."

"Does he now?" Ami's mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. And I also know that in the time since she's been seeing him, her grades have not dropped— her comprehension has actually improved."

"Improved?" Dr. Mizuno repeated skeptically. "Her grades have always been excellent."

"Yes, ma'am, they have. But although her scores on tests were always high, her overall understanding of the subject has greatly increased," her teacher stated. "When I asked her about it, she said that it's because Akai-san has helped her study. He asks her about the topics, and she explains it to him. By making it more understandable for him, she makes it more understandable for herself."

Dr. Mizuno contemplated this in stunned silence.

"If I may be so bold, ma'am," the teacher continued. "If Ami-san was my daughter, I'd be overjoyed that she'd found someone as good for her as Akai-san is."

Dr. Mizuno inhaled. "It's certainly something to think about."

Just then, Ami returned from the washroom. "Oh, Sensei," she said nervously. "I see you found my mother."

"Yes, well, I'd best let the two of you go on home." She smiled at Dr. Mizuno. "I hope you will consider what we've talked about," she said, turning to leave.

"What was that about, Mama?" Ami asked, fretting that her falling grades had been discussed.

"Oh, nothing," her mother replied, heading for the exit with Ami following closely behind. As they crossed through the sliding doors, Dr. Mizuno froze. Standing under a streetlight outside the building was Nephrite.

"Neph— Naito-kun!" Ami exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Nephrite paid her no mind, focusing instead on her mother. "Mizuno-sensei," he said, approaching her and bowing deeply. "I need to speak to you."

"Go on," Dr. Mizuno said warily.

"Mizuno-sensei, I want to let you know that I deeply respect you. You are Ami's mother, and I would never try to come between the two of you." Nephrite inhaled, bracing himself to continue. "However, I want to let you know that I care for Ami very deeply." He avoided Ami's eyes as he said this. "I have no intention of simply disappearing. I want her in my life, and I hope that she wants me in hers."

He glanced over at Ami; blinking back tears, she nodded the affirmative. Reassured, Nephrite continued. "I hope that the two of us can find some mutual understanding. I would never want to break apart your family... I hope that maybe, someday, I might even become a part of it. Therefore, I ask you to please accept me."

Dr. Mizuno looked back and forth between the two of them for a long moment, and then sighed, shoulders falling. "Very well. I suppose I have no choice."

Nephrite's jaw dropped. "Mama!" Ami exclaimed, an expression of joy-filled hope filling her face.

"Ami, I've done you a disservice," Dr. Mizuno said. "In my desperation to protect you, I've forgotten once again that you're old enough to make your own decisions. I hope that you can forgive me."

"Of course!" Ami replied gleefully, rushing into her mother's arms. "You're my mama, and I love you!"

Dr. Mizuno smiled, embracing her daughter back. After a moment, she let go, and turned to Nephrite. "And you...I suppose I should at least get to know you a bit better before I make my mind up about you. Would you like to join us at dinner? You can tell me all about yourself."

"I'd be glad to," Nephrite answered, rising to the challenge.

In her no-nonsense manner, Dr. Mizuno turned and briskly led the way towards their home. Following closely behind, Ami bounded up to Nephrite and slipped her hand into his. She knew that this wouldn't be happily ever after; they'd still have plenty more challenges to face. But at that moment, now that they'd cleared a major obstacle, she couldn't feel more hopeful about the future. No matter what may come, she knew that her mother would still love and accept her... and Nephrite would be there at her side, forever.


End file.
